Porter, 52, named by Bloomberg as the best economic
forecaster in Canada for the past two years, will takeover for
Cooper on Feb. 1., the Toronto-based bank said today in a
statement.

“Doug excels in interpreting and communicating the impact
of key economic and financial data for businesses and
investors,” Mike Miller, Head of Equity Products & Research at
BMO Capital Markets, said in a statement.

Porter is currently deputy chief economist and has worked
at the company for 18 years. he holds a Masters degree in
Economics from the University of Western Ontario and received a
Certified Financial Analyst designation in 1995.

“I’m honored to be given the opportunity to lead our
exceptional team of economists,” Porter said in the statement.
“I am committed to ensuring our capabilities continue to
strengthen in the coming years.”